1896–97 Newton Heath F.C. season

The 1896–97 season was Newton Heath's fifth season in the Football League and their third in the Second Division. They finished second in the league, which earned them a chance for promotion back to the First Division. United played two Test matches against each of the bottom two teams from the First Division, but although they beat Burnley at Bank Street, they were unable to overcome Sunderland and remained in the Second Division. In the FA Cup, the Heathens managed to reach the third round, before losing 2–0 to Derby County for the second year in a row.

Newton Heath

1896–97 season
Secretary	A. H. Albut
Stadium	Bank Street
Second Division	2nd
FA Cup	Third round
Top goalscorer	League: Joe Cassidy (17) All: Joe Cassidy (25)
Highest home attendance	18,000 vs Manchester City (25 December 1896)
Lowest home attendance	3,000 vs Burton Swifts (9 January 1897) 3,000 vs Darwen (2 March 1897) 3,000 vs Woolwich Arsenal (22 March 1897)
Average home league attendance	6,636
Home colours Away colours

The club also entered teams in the Lancashire and Manchester Senior Cups in 1896–97. They were knocked out of the Lancashire Cup in the second round, losing 2–1 away to Burnley. In the Manchester Cup, they received a bye to the third round, where they beat Manchester City, before losing 2–0 to Bury in the semi-finals.

Second Division

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance
1 September 1896	Gainsborough Trinity	H	2–0	McNaught (2)	4,000
5 September 1896	Burton Swifts	A	5–3	Brown, Bryant, Cassidy, Draycott, McNaught	3,000
7 September 1896	Walsall	H	2–0	Cassidy, Donaldson	7,000
12 September 1896	Lincoln City	H	3–1	Cassidy (2), Donaldson	2,000
19 September 1896	Grimsby Town	A	0–2		3,000
21 September 1896	Walsall	A	3–2	Brown, Draycott, McNaught	7,000
26 September 1896	Newcastle United	H	4–0	Cassidy (3), Donaldson	7,000
3 October 1896	Manchester City	A	0–0		20,000
10 October 1896	Small Heath	H	1–1	Draycott	7,000
17 October 1896	Blackpool	A	2–4	Bryant, Draycott	5,000
21 October 1896	Gainsborough Trinity	A	0–2		4,000
24 October 1896	Burton Wanderers	H	3–0	Cassidy (3)	4,000
7 November 1896	Grimsby Town	H	4–2	Cassidy (2), Donaldson, Jenkyns	5,000
28 November 1896	Small Heath	A	0–1		4,000
19 December 1896	Notts County	A	0–3		5,000
25 December 1896	Manchester City	H	2–1	Donaldson, Smith	18,000
26 December 1896	Blackpool	H	2–0	Cassidy (2)	9,000
28 December 1896	Leicester Fosse	A	0–1		8,000
1 January 1897	Newcastle United	A	0–2		17,000
9 January 1897	Burton Swifts	H	1–1	Donaldson	3,000
6 February 1897	Loughborough	H	6–0	Smith (2), Boyd, Donaldson, Draycott, Jenkyns	5,000
20 February 1897	Leicester Fosse	H	2–1	Boyd, Donaldson	8,000
2 March 1897	Darwen	H	3–1	Cassidy (2), Boyd	3,000
13 March 1897	Darwen	A	2–0	Cassidy, Gillespie	2,000
20 March 1897	Burton Wanderers	A	2–1	Gillespie, Lowe (o.g.)	3,000
22 March 1897	Woolwich Arsenal	H	1–1	Boyd	3,000
27 March 1897	Notts County	H	1–1	Bryant	10,000
1 April 1897	Lincoln City	A	3–1	Jenkyns (3)	1,000
3 April 1897	Woolwich Arsenal	A	2–0	Boyd, Donaldson	6,000
10 April 1897	Loughborough	A	0–2		3,000

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Notts County (C, O, P)	30	19	4	7	92	43	2.140	42	Qualification for test matches
2	Newton Heath	30	17	5	8	56	34	1.647	39
3	Grimsby Town	30	17	4	9	66	45	1.467	38
4	Small Heath	30	16	5	9	69	47	1.468	37
5	Newcastle United	30	17	1	12	56	52	1.077	35
6	Manchester City	30	12	8	10	58	50	1.160	32
7	Gainsborough Trinity	30	12	7	11	50	47	1.064	31
8	Blackpool	30	13	5	12	59	56	1.054	31
9	Leicester Fosse	30	13	4	13	59	57	1.035	30
10	Woolwich Arsenal	30	13	4	13	68	70	0.971	30
11	Darwen	30	14	0	16	67	61	1.098	28
12	Walsall	30	11	4	15	54	69	0.783	26
13	Loughborough	30	12	1	17	50	64	0.781	25
14	Burton Swifts	30	9	6	15	46	61	0.754	24	Re-elected
15	Burton Wanderers (R)	30	9	2	19	31	67	0.463	20	Not re-elected
16	Lincoln City	30	5	2	23	27	85	0.318	12	Re-elected

Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Test matches

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance
19 April 1897	Burnley	A	0–2		10,000
21 April 1897	Burnley	H	2–0	Boyd, Jenkyns	7,000
24 April 1897	Sunderland	H	1–1	Boyd	18,000
26 April 1897	Sunderland	A	0–2		6,000

FA Cup

Date	Round	Opponents	H / A	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance
12 December 1896	First round qualifying	West Manchester	H	7–0	Cassidy (2), Gillespie (2), Rothwell (2), Bryant	6,000
2 January 1897	Second round qualifying	Nelson	H	3–0	Cassidy, Donaldson, Gillespie	5,000
15 January 1897	Third round qualifying	Blackpool	H	2–2	Gillespie, Donaldson	1,500
20 January 1897	Third round qualifying replay	Blackpool	A	2–1	Cassidy, Boyd	1,500
30 January 1897	First round	Kettering Town	H	5–1	Cassidy (3), Donaldson (2)	5,000
13 February 1897	Second round	Southampton St. Mary's	A	1–1	Donaldson	8,000
17 February 1897	Second round replay	Southampton St. Mary's	H	3–1	Bryant (2), Cassidy	7,000
27 February 1897	Third round	Derby County	A	0–2		12,000